SPEARFISH, S.D. – The No. 11 Black Hills State University men's basketball team returns to RMAC action on Thursday afternoon for their first of two games this weekend in the Denver metro area as they face Regis. The Yellow Jackets look to remain unbeaten in conference play and extend their league-best 9-game win streak as they take on a Ranger team that is looking to stop a 6-game losing streak and pick up their first conference win of the year.
 
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Date/Time/Location: Thursday, January 8 / 5 p.m. / Denver, Colo.  / Regis Field House
RMAC Network: Beginning in the 2025-26 season the RMAC Network will now move to Pay-Per-View. Fans can purchase a single game pass ($10), monthly ($25) or annual subscription ($130). Individuals with bhsu.edu or yellowjackets.bhsu.edu email address can still take advantage of the Peak Pricing Promotion by using the code Y26-RMACEDU.
KDSJ Radio: Black Hills State men's basketball continues to air live on KDSJ Radio with the voice of the Yellow Jackets, Steve Ammerman, giving the play-by-play for all the action. The game against South Dakota Mines will also air on KOTA News Radio in Rapid City.
 
#11 BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• Black Hills State re-enters RMAC play and Thursday's road contest with Regis on a 9-game win streak, having beaten Northern State 77-70 in Aberdeen, South Dakota, on New Years Day to improve to 11-1 (4-0 RMAC). The 11-1 start continues the best start to a season for the Yellow Jackets since 2022-23, which was also the last season they recorded victories in each of their first four conference games.
• The win over Northern State in their last outing marked the end of an 11-game losing streak in the series, defeating the Wolves for the first time since 1978 and for the first time in Aberdeen since 1968.
• Shooting 31-of-60 from the field for 51.7 percent against the Wolves, the Yellow Jackets have now shot 50.0 percent or better from the field in ten of their 12 games in 2025-26, improving to 9-1 this season and 19-2 since the start of 2024-25.
• After a slow start against Dickinson State in the 2025 finale, the Yellow Jackets went on to out-score DSU 55-35 in the second half. The game marked the fourth time this season that BHSU has out-scored an opponent by 20 or more points in the second half, averaging a +7.5 (45.3-37.8) scoring differential in the second half of contests.
• Also against the Blue Hawks, Black Hills State went to work inside, scoring a season-best 48 points in the paint, a place they average 39.3 points per game from this season.
• Black Hills State connected on a season-high of 15 3-pointers in back-to-back games against UCCS and Colorado Christian as they played their final two conference games in the month of December. The two outings also marked their two most efficient shooting performances from beyond the arc this season, shooting 50.0 percent against the Mountain Lions and 46.9 percent against the Cougars. The Green & Gold have reached double figures from beyond the arc six times this year, improving to 6-0 in those match-ups and 18-5 in those games since the start of the 2024-25 season.
• The win over CCU in December marked the second time in a two week span that the Yellow Jackets had three 20-point scorers in a single contest. Against the Cougars Cam Lowe scored a game-high 25 points, while Myles Johnson added a career-best 22, and Tristan Hurdle scored a season-best 20. Against South Dakota Mines in the RMAC opener the week prior, Jaeton Hackley scored a career-high 29 points, while Lowe added 23 points, and Wilie Patterson III added a season-high 20 points. The contest against SDM was the first time since a November 16, 2024, game against Augustana that multiple players scored 20 or more points in the same game and the first time since March 13, 2022, against West Texas A&M that three players scored 20 or more points in the same game.
• Black Hills State added their sixth 20-assist game of the season against Colorado Christian, dishing out assists on 20 of 36 made field goals. The Yellow Jackets are 6-0 when they dish out 20 or more assists in a game this year and 19-2 since the start of 2012-13. The 27 assists against UMary earlier this year tied a NCAA Division II era program record that was set during a March 1, 2022, victory over New Mexico Highlands.
• BHSU has seen five players score in double figures in five of their 12 games in 2025-26. A year ago, it occurred just five times in 30 games, and they have improved to 9-1 in such games since the beginning of 2024-25.
• In the non-conference slate, BHSU improved to 13-1 in their last 14 games against the Lone Star Conference (LSC) with victories over Sul Ross State (86-54) and Texas A&M International (89-57). Meanwhile, they improved to 6-6 against the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) over the course of the last two years, and 10-11 since 2018-19, as they earned wins over Augustana (75-71), Minot State (72-65), UMary (85-74), and Northern State (77-70). The lone loss of the season came from the hands of NSIC foe (RV) MSU Moorhead (100-85) on the road.
• Black Hills State snapped a 5-game losing streak in the East/West Challenge when they defeated Augustana on November 22.
• With their 86-54 win over Sul Ross State and 89-57 victory over Texas A&M International during the opening weekend of the season, the Yellow Jackets recorded back-to-back wins of 30 or more points for the first time since their 2022-23 Final Four run when they defeated MSU Denver by 32 points (89-57) on February 4, 2023, and UCCS by 31 points (100-69) on February 10, 2023.
• The Yellow Jackets boast the 21^st-best scoring margin in the nation, averaging a +14.8 score differential. They have recorded six wins of 20 or more points, and two wins of 30 or more points. Only four of their 12 games have been decided by single digits.
• Black Hills State went 13-of-13 from the charity stripe in the season opener against Sul Ross State, the most made free throws in a game without a miss in the DII era for the Yellow Jackets.
• The Yellow Jackets entered the 2025-26 season off an 18-12 (13-7 RMAC) record in 2024-25 where they finished in a tie for third in the league standings, their seventh consecutive top-4 finish in the conference.
• BHSU joins only Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Mesa as the only three schools to win 13 or more conference games in each of the last four seasons.
• Dating back to last season the Green & Gold are 19-4 in their last 23 games overall, with a pair of those losses coming to a top-10 nationally ranked Colorado School of Mines squad.
• Dating back to last season, BHSU has won ten consecutive games in A2 Arena and are 87-25 (77.7%) in the building since 2017-18. The current 10-game win streak is the longest among South Dakota schools and among RMAC schools and is also tied for the ninth longest in NCAA Division II.
• The Yellow Jackets entered the 2025-26 season as the preseason favorites in the RMAC and are now ranked No. 11 in the sixth regular season poll of the NABC Top-25 that was released on Tuesday.
• Through four games the Yellow Jackets are tied for first place in the conference standings as they are joined by Fort Lewis as the only two remaining unbeaten teams, both at 4-0. BHSU has scored 90 or more points in each conference game this season, averaging a league-best 96.8 points per game in those contests.
• It marked the first time in the NCAA Division II era and the first time since 2002-03, the Yellow Jackets scored 90 or more points in four consecutive games against South Dakota Mines (104-76), Chadron State (90-67), UCCS (97-92), and Colorado Christian (96-76). The 2002-03 team scored 90 or more points in five straight contests, including a November 30, 2002, loss to Sioux Falls (105-108, OT), a December 6, 2002, win over Minot State (97-71), a December 7, 2002, win over Dickinson State (99-77), a December 13, 2002, win over Valley City State (111-107, 2OT), and a December 14, 2002, win over Mayville State (95-74).
• Black Hills State returns three all-conference players from a year ago, as Cam Lowe was named First Team All-RMAC and RMAC Freshman of the Year, while Jaeton Hackley and Tristan Hurdle were named Honorable Mention All-RMAC. All three of those student-athletes were named to the 2025-26 Preseason All-RMAC team.
• The Yellow Jackets return seven players who started a game last season, and they return ten players in total from last season.
• The Green & Gold brings back a wealth of talent as they return their leading scorer (Lowe) and four of their top-5 scorers, they return their leading rebounder (Lowe) and four of their top-5 rebounders, they return their leading assister (Hackley) and four of their top-5 assist leaders, they return their leader in steals (Hackley) and four of their top-5 steals leaders, and lastly they return four of their top-6 block leaders from last season.
• The Yellow Jackets currently rank third in NCAA Division II in effective field goal percentage (59.8%) and field goal percentage (52.0%), eighth in assist/turnover ratio (1.56), tenth in assists per game (18.8), 11^th in defensive rebounds per game (29.58), 21^st in scoring margin (+14.8), 25^th in 3-point percentage (38.6%), and 27^th in 3-point percentage defense (29.0%).
• Through 12 games the reigning RMAC Freshman of the Year, Lowe, averages 17.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Over the course of the last eight games, he has shot the ball 57-of-112 (50.9%) from the field, 23-of-54 (42.6%) from 3-point range, and 19-of-21 (90.4%) at the free throw line. He enters Thursday's game with ten double digit scoring performances this season and streak eight straight. He notched his 15^th 20-point game of his career, shooting the ball 8-of-13 from the field, 5-of-9 from 3-point range, and 4-of-4 from the free throw line against Colorado Christian in the final RMAC game of the 2025 calendar year on December 13. Two nights earlier on December 11 he posted a season-high performance of 26 points against UCCS as he shot the ball 8-of-15 from the field, 4-of-9 from 3-point range, and 6-of-6 from the free throw line. He has connected on three or more 3-pointers in five of the last eight games this season. He grabbed a season-best nine rebounds against UMary in November, one of eight games that he has secured seven or more boards. This year he currently ranks 20^th in NCAA Division II in free throw percentage, shooting 30-of-33 from the charity stripe for a 90.9 percent clip, and is 35^th in defensive rebounds per game (6.42). He is the active career leader (minimum 20 games played) in points per game in the RMAC with a 16.1 career scoring average, is the leagues' top free throw shooter and field goal percentage (minimum 20 games) leader as he is 85.6 percent from the charity stripe and 48.5 percent from the field in his career, is second in career rebounds (minimum 20 games) with an average of 7.57 boards per game, and is second in career 3-pointers made per game (minimum 20 games) 2.21 per contest.
• With his sixth consecutive game in double figures and eighth of the season, Hackley posted his second 20-point outing with 22 points to lead the way for the Yellow Jackets at Northern State on New Year's Day. The other 20-point outing this year for the redshirt-junior guard came in the RMAC opener at South Dakota Mines, as he poured in a career-best 29 points on 11-of-12 shooting from the field, 4-of-4 from beyond the arc, and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe, while also dishing out five assists and grabbing three boards. He is currently averaging 13.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 0.9 steals per game this year. He recorded his second career double-double and first of the season with a 16-point and 10-assist outing against UCCS in December, while also adding five rebounds. He has dished out four or more assists in seven of the 12 games this year thus far, including tying his career-high of ten in the win over the Mountain Lions. He has also collected a pair of steals in three games, most recently doing so against Dickinson State, recording his first multi-steal performance since mid-November. This year he currently ranks second in the RMAC and 20^th nationally in assist/turnover ratio (2.74), is second in the league in field goal percentage (55.1%) and is fourth in assists per game (4.3). He entered the 2025-26 season in the top-10 of both the BHSU career assists and steals per game lists.
• Myles Johnson, the December 1 RMAC Defensive Player of the Week following the Minot State and UMary contests, has reached double figures in eight of his first 12 games back to the court, averaging 12.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game. In the team's last RMAC contest against Colorado Christian, he scored a career-high 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field, 2-of-2 shooting from beyond the arc, and 2-of-2 shooting at the charity stripe. Thus far this season he is shooting 61-of-101 (60.4%) from the field, 5-of-13 (38.5%) from 3-point range, and 17-of-24 (70.8%) from the free throw line. He currently leads the RMAC and ranks 23^rd in the nation in field goal percentage. Additionally, he is fifth in the league in steals per game. He missed all of 2024-25 due to injury but averaged 4.7 points and 1.9 rebounds in 2023-24.
• Jack Haggett ended the 2025 calendar year with one of his best outings of his career, scoring a career-high 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 shooting from the charity stripe against Dickinson State, while also adding five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Against the Blue Hawks he took over in the second half, going 7-of-9 from the field for 15 of his 19 points in less than 13 minutes of action in the final frame, securing his fifth double digit scoring performance of the year. He has made his presence known in the post with a strong start to his sophomore campaign, averaging 9.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game this season. Against Chadron State he matched season-high seven rebounds and recorded a career-best four steals as he poured in a then season-best 16 points. In back-to-back outings he dished out a career-best seven assists against UMary and then recorded another six against South Dakota Mines. He has recorded three or more assists in seven games and has posted a career-high three blocked shots twice in 2025-26. In the RMAC he currently ranks fourth in assist turnover ratio (2.12) as one of the best passing big men in the league, is fourth in blocks per game (1.25), and is tied for ninth in assists per game (3.0).
• Needing just 68 points to eclipse 1,000 career points, Hurdle remains one of the top sharpshooters from distance in all of NCAA Division II. After leading DII by knocking down 47.6 percent of his shots from beyond the arc in 2024-25, through 11 games in his second season in Spearfish he is currently shooting at a 48.1 percent clip from 3-point range as he is 26-of-54 on the year. In his last outing of the 2025 calendar year against Colorado Christian, he scored a season-high 20 points, connecting on 6-of-8 shots from distance. It was his seventh game in double figures this season, and the fifth time this year he has hit three or more 3-pointers (12 career games as a Yellow Jacket with three or more 3-pointers). He enters Thursday's RMAC game just four 3-pointers away from 100 in his time at BHSU, knocking down 96-of-201 (47.8%) in a year and a half with the Yellow Jackets. During the 2025-26 season, the Preseason All-RMAC selection is currently averaging 9.6 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. He currently ranks ranks fifth in the RMAC in 3-pointers per game (2.36) and total 3-pointers made (26).
• Newcomer Willie Patterson III averaged 9.5 points while adding 6.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. He recorded his second double-double of the season against South Dakota Mines, as he scored a season-best 20 points and matched a season-high of 11 rebounds while shooting the ball 8-of-12 from the floor, 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and 2-of-4 from the free throw line. Against UMary he dished out a season-best four assists, one of three games this year that he has recorded multiple assists in a game.
• Another transfer making a large impact in the rotation this year is Jackson Seale, arriving from Eastern Washington and averaging 8.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.7 blocked shots per game. He is shooting the ball 47.6 percent from the field and 34.0 percent from 3-point range. He posted his fourth game in double figures in 2025-26 with 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field and matched a career-best three 3-pointers on eight attempts in the New Year's Day win over Northern State. Against the Wolves he also collected a career-best two steals. He previously knocked down 3-of-3 from beyond the arc in the RMAC opener against South Dakota Mines in December. On six occasions this season he has stepped outside and made multiple shots from distance in a game. He has scored a career-best of 15 points on two occasions this season, first against UMary as he shot 6-of-10 from the field and 2-of-4 from 3-point range, and then against UCCS as he went 7-of-13 from the field and 1-of-3 from beyond the arc. Against Minot State he dished out a career-best seven assists while sending back a career-best four blocked shots. He has dished out four or more assists in three games this season and has recorded multiple blocked shots twice. In eight games this year he has secured four or more rebounds.
• Blake Volmer received just his second career start and first of the season against Colorado Christian in December. The junior guard posted his first two career double digit scoring games in the 2025-26 season, first pouring in ten points on 3-of-3 shooting from the field, 2-of-2 shooting from distance, and 2-of-2 shooting from the charity stripe against Texas A&M International during the first weekend of the season. Then last month against UCCS he scored a career-high 13 points on 4-of-4 shooting from 3-point range and 1-of-2 shooting from the charity stripe. He has provided efficient shooting from the bench, knocking down 65.4 percent (17-26) of his shots from the field and 68.8 percent (11-16) of his shots from beyond the arc. On three occasions this season he has made multiple 3-pointers. In the Yellow Jackets last time out against Northern State, he pulled down a career-best eight rebounds, marking one of five games this season he has grabbed five or more boards. He averages 4.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
• Along with scoring nine points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field, BJ Woodruff matched a season-best four assists, grabbed a season-high of four rebounds, and posted a career-best two blocked shots against Dickinson State to wrap up the 2025 calendar year. He scored a season-best 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range in the season opening win over Sul Ross State. The sophomore guard enters the Thursday's match-up averaging 5.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He
• Also, in the rotation in the post, Joel Speckman closed out the 2025 calendar year with a notable performance against Dickinson State, scoring seven points on 2-of-3 shooting from the field and 3-of-6 shooting from the charity stripe. He also dished out two assists and record a season-high three steals against the Blue Hawks. Speckman's seven points were his most since a season-high of 11 at MSU Moorhead, as he averages 2.5 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. He is shooting the ball 9-of-15 (60.0%) from the field in 2025-26.
• Ryan Thompson is in his eighth season as the head coach at Black Hills State, guiding the Yellow Jackets to a record of 150-67 during his career. The win at Northern State on New Year's Day secured his 150^th career victory, making him just the second coach in program history to reach 150 in their Yellow Jacket career, joining all-time win's leader Mike Olson (179). 

REGIS STORYLINES

• Regis enters Thursday's game with a record of 1-9 (0-4 RMAC) as they lost their sixth straight game in a 90-62 defeat at Colorado Mesa on January 3.
• The Rangers finished second in the RMAC in 2024-25 with an 18-14 (14-6 RMAC) record, however, after much roster turnover they were picked to finish 14^th in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• The Rangers only return five players from a year ago, with only Quinn Lambert and Aaron Ofstun having played significant minutes last season.
• Scoring a season-best 97 points in their lone win of the year over UT-Dallas, it was the only time the Rangers have scored 75 or more points this year. RU is only averaging 65.4 points per game in 2025-26, compared to 90.1 by their opponents for a scoring margin of -24.7. Only one of the Rangers nine losses have been within single digits.
• Cooper Frith, a transfer from Olympic Community College, leads the team by averaging 16.8 points on 42.5 percent shooting from the field, 38.5 percent shooting from 3-point range, and 84.9 percent shooting from the charity stripe. He has scored in double figures five times this year, including a season-best 38 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc, and 22-of-25 shooting form the free throw line in a win over UT-Dallas. The 38 points marked the second-most points by an RMAC player this season. He connected on a season-best five 3-pointers on eight attempts in the Rangers most recent game against Colorado Mesa, marking his fifth game this season with multiple triples. He has dished out multiple assists in four games this season. The junior currently ranks eighth in the RMAC in free throw percentage (84.9%) as he has knocked down 45-of-53 attempts this season and is ninth in the league in points per game (16.8).
• The second leading scorer for Regis this year is freshman Luke Soden, who in five games is averaging 14.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. He is shooting the ball 42.6 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from 3-point range. In four games he has scored in double figures, including a season-best 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range, and 2-of-2 shooting from the charity stripe against UT-Dallas. Against UTD he also added six rebounds and a season-best four assists. In four games this year he has collected five or more boards.
• Gunner Walters, who leads the RMAC in both assists per game (6.7) and minutes per game (37:21) is the facilitator the Ranger offense, ranking third and eighth in the nation respectively. He also adds 10.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game as he is shooting the ball 47.2 percent from the field and 75.0 percent from the free throw line. In six games he has scored in double figures, including a season-best 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field, 1-of-4 shooting from 3-point range, and 2-of-2 shooting from the free throw line against Western Colorado. Against the Mountaineers he also added a season-high eight rebounds and two steals while dishing out five assists. In six games he has dished out seven or more assists, while in four games he has grabbed five or more boards.
• Rounding out the double figure scorers for RU is Aaron Ofstun, who averages 10.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game in two games. In the season opener against (RV) St. Mary's he scored in double figures with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field, 1-of-1 shooting from 3-point range, and 1-of-3 shooting from the free throw line, while grabbing two rebounds and dishing out two assists. He has not played since November.
• Matt Yost is the leading rebounder for the Rangers, averaging 6.1 boards to go along with 9.4 points per game this season. He is shooting the ball 43.8 percent from the field, 44.4 percent from 3-point range, and 77.8 percent from the free throw line this year. Matching a career-best 15 points for the second time this year, he poured in 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field, 4-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc, and 1-of-2 shooting from the free throw line in the Rangers most recent game against Colorado Mesa for his fifth double figure scoring game of the year. He previously scored 15 points against Northern Colorado as he shot the ball 7-of-13 from the field and 1-of-5 from 3-point range. Against UNC he also secured a career-best 11 rebounds for his first career double-double. In seven games this year he has pulled down five or more rebounds. He currently ranks seventh in the RMAC in defensive rebounds per game (5.4).
• Rex Walters is in his first season as head coach at Regis, guiding the Rangers to a 1-9 record thus far. Overall, he is in his 11^th season as a collegiate head coach, previously spending eight seasons at San Francisco and two seasons at Florida Atlantic, coaching his teams to a career record of 159-169.

SERIES HISTORY

• Thursday will mark the 25^th meeting on the hardwood between Black Hills State and Regis since the 2012-13 season with the Yellow Jackets holding a 16-8 advantage.
• Earning a season sweep for the 2024-25 season, the Yellow Jackets defeated the Rangers 77-62 on February 15, 2025, in the Regis Field House in Denver in the last meeting between the teams. In the match-up Cam Lowe secured a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Jaeton Hackley added 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals in the win.
• Since 2019-20 BHSU has won nine of the last ten meetings between the two teams.